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 Twenty-five years ago, several local police organizations were unhappy with the level of representation they were receiving from their parent union. The desire for honest, professional Union representation was missing. In an effort to change that, these same locals banded together to form the Michigan Association of Police.
They approached Carl Parsell, the founder of the modern day police unions, and myself, to leave our then current positions to lead the new Union.
The critics laughed loudly, and hurriedly predicted that MAP would not survive and would soon be gone. Today, these same critics are no longer laughing, but are still predicting that MAP will fail. Truth is that after twenty-five years MAP is not failing. MAP is stronger than ever and continues to grow in membership. The original staff of three has grown now to over eleven full time employees representing over one thousand law enforcement officers in both the public and private sector in Michigan. MAP members now have a voice on the Michigan Council on Law Enforcement, thanks to a recent appointment by Governor Granholm. Sadly, Carl did not make it to help us celebrate the twenty-fifth anniversary having passed away in October 1990. His legacy still lives in the day-to-day operation of the Union. The same guiding principles of honesty, professional representation and the basic thought that the Union works for the members not the members work for the Union, is instilled in the entire MAP staff. We are committed to our members. We will always work to ensure that our members keep their pensions, health care and other benefits. Law enforcement officers are professionals. They deserve professional wages. The next twenty-five years are going to be even better. |
